


The Steve Rogers Playbook

by Tsuchan



Category: Captain America (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, American Football, College Football, F/M, Fluff, Gen, M/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-05-12
Updated: 2014-06-11
Packaged: 2018-01-24 10:47:50
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 9
Words: 4,418
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1602308
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Tsuchan/pseuds/Tsuchan
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Steve only started football because he broke a window. Everything after that was pretty easy when you're nicknamed Captain America. Except maybe asking a certain someone out on a date. </p><p>OR </p><p>A small collection of vignettes in the life and times of Steve Rogers in college.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> I really blame the NFL draft for this. I've only recently been a big fan of the NFL (as in the last five years...). I'm not 100% on all my college football stuff so if I get any of stuff wrong I'm sorry. Please correct me. There is going to be references to players (past and present), plays and other general football stuff.
> 
> I urge comments and requests!

"Hey Rogers your boyfriend is here!" Stark yells in Steve's direction.

  
"My boy-" he stops mid-sentence to look at the man in the bleachers to which Stark was pointing at, "For the millionth time Stark he is not my boyfriend!"

  
"Sure as hell acts like it," Natasha cuts in. She smirks at Bucky who is trying to wave Steve down.

 

"We're just friends... " Steve groans because they technically they aren't dating.

  
"Keep telling yourself that." Barton adds before giving a friendly push between the shoulder blades, "He looks like a real winner."

  
Steve sighs as he walks toward Bucky. It's not that he doesn't want to be dating Bucky. It's just how do you admit it to someone that you want to date them. Plus the only time Steve has ever gone on dates with someone was when they had asked him so all he had to do was say "yes". Now Steve has to gain up the courage to say: " _Hey we need to date, then maybe making out and maybe sex in the near future."_

Which was highly unlikely. Only for the fact that Steve is proper and would not ask for sex on the first date. Probably the on the second... or maybe the third.... or you know when people are actually ready.

"ANY TIME NOW." Stark and Wilson yell out together. And Steve flushes from head to toe. Ugh he need to stop hanging around with those people. They were way too embarrassing. 

  
"Looking good Captain." Bucky says when Steve finally makes it to the bleachers. Bucky's grinning ear to ear at him and slaps him on the shoulder pads.

  
"I see you heard." Steve answers nervously fiddling with his practice jersey.

  
"Any team that unanimously votes a man to college team captain that is fully willing to fuck another dude in the ass is good in my books."

  
Steve sighs, "Honestly it think it was harder to convince the board that Natasha should be on the team than me getting voted as captain."

  
Bucky frowns at Steve. That little pouty one that Steve hated and enjoyed all at the same time, "You really got to stop selling yourself short Steve. I mean come on you used to be a ninety pound asthmatic and now look at you. All beefed up. You practically run a whole team."

  
"Just help run the offence actually," Steve answers, but Bucky is now curious at something happening behind Steve to which he turns and looks.

  
All the usual suspects are pretending to be up to nothing but he just knows that they were making kissy faces or something behind his back. Okay maybe he should just ask Bucky out and get this over with.

  
"Hey Bucky?"

  
"Yeah?"

  
What he wants to say gets cut off by Coach Fury yelling, "Rogers stop flirting and get over here."

  
Bucky starts laughing and Steve just hopes that his face isn't turning red again from embarrassment.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The one in which Steve and Natasha are BFFs.

Back in Steve's freshman year Natasha had stormed on to the field demanding to try out for the team. Naturally people thought it was a joke. 

  
Once all the laughing died down Coach Fury gave her a look over and asked, "What position?"

  
"Cornerback."

  
"Get suited up. We'll test you out."

  
She ended up being a third stringer much like Steve. Both were only on the field twice that season.

  
Barton and Stark came the next season. And Steve ended up being the starting quarterback after his senior had broke his collarbone.

  
"Don't look a gift horse in the mouth," Natasha said when he admitted that he felt guilty that she wasn't playing as much as him. To him she deserved being starter. Sure she had moved her way up the ranks to be second string and was seeing more of the field but not nearly as much as he'd like.

 

.. 

 

"Is it that girl across the hall from us?" she asked when they were alone in the locker room. It was after practice. Well long after practice, but there was always a few stragglers. Natasha wanted to get better at knocking and catching balls thrown way ahead of her. Steve was happy to help.

  
"Nah," he said pulling a new shirt over his head.

  
"Come on Steve. Someone has you all wired and I want to know who. Your throws are going wonky."

  
"Why do you need to know? I mean what about you and Barton what the heck is going on with you two."

  
"I like to keep him on his toes and don't change the subject Rogers. " She reasoned behind her sheet. Back after Fury convinced the board to let Natasha play the only stipulation was that she needed a separate change room as to not distract her team mates. (Which was seriously stupid because everyone knows not to mess with Natasha.) Which the university venue certainly wasn't going to pay for. So Fury took the corner locker took several large bed sheets and draped them from ceiling to floor for her privacy.

  
"So who is it?" she asks sitting down beside him. She was now fully dressed and glaring at him so he decided to focus all this attention on tying his shoes and ignoring her.

After a minute of silence and her eyes boring into the back of his head, "It's you know this guy... he's really great and those eyes! His eyes are incredibly beautiful."

  
"So you mean the person you been stuck on since freshman year? The one everyone tells you to ask out. The one you admitted to me while drunk mind you, that you masturbate to fantasies of him."

  
"You said you'd never talk about that."

  
"Steve we're roommates." she says as if it was a viable excuse.

  
Taking a deep sigh, "Yes. I just don't know if he's into me."

  
"Oh trust me he is," Natasha says after picking her equipment bag off the floor, "He's been at every practice to stare at your fine ass. That's why the whole team has been call him your god damn boyfriend."

  
"Seriously?"

  
"Have I ever lied to you Rogers?"

  
"No."

  
"Okay good. Now lets get Chinese and start planning your wedding."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> For those that don't know what a cornerback is they are a defensive player that covers receivers. Basically their job is to prevent the receivers from getting the ball or to tackle them as soon as possible when the receiver has caught it. I thought it fit Natasha because how amazingly agile corners are.


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The one in which Steve is injured.

You run the risk of getting injured in any sport. Steve knows that better than anybody. He's nursed enough bruised ribs and sprained ankles. And not to neglect to mention that he was given a chance and proved himself when his senior broke his collar bone.

  
So in that moment. When the defensive lineman tackled him from an unseen blitz.

  
He knew his days were numbered.

  
It was his right shoulder. HIS THROWING ARM. That he heard pop when he hit the ground trying to protect the ball.

  
All he could really do was sit there and stare at the turf while the refs set the new down markers.

  
"Man I'm sorry. I shoulda seen that coming and blocked instead of running." Sam says. Sam really could have done nothing considering he was on the other side of the field.

  
He should really say something but all he can think of his how much pain his right shoulder is in.

  
Bruce comes up huffing, "I'm sorry Steve they just..."

  
"It's okay," Steve says mostly for Bruce's sanity as a guard as Steve tries to get up, "Just next time go full Hulk on them."

  
They're in the huddle and Coach Hill is calling for another passing play. Which is a good choice considering they lost about six yards with that sack. Steve is pretty sure that he wont be able to pass it any where with the pain he is in.

  
It's third and twelve and he knows that he should pass it and the clock is running down.

  
He sets up for a running play and hopes that he can believe in Tony's feet to get them to make a first down.

  
The moment he passes the ball off to Stark he can see out of the corner of his eye Coach Fury losing his shit. Coach Hill just looks completely confused. Steve has never disobeyed direct orders. Well most of the time it was because he saw something coming that the play callers didn't.

  
Tony misses the first down by over two yards. They have to punt it.

  
Fury is big ball of hate and Steve is trying not to bring any attention while he's going to the sideline.

  
Fury is now yelling and Steve full on ignores him and heads to the medical staff onsite.

  
"My right shoulder. I think its dislocated." Steve says.

  
There is silence around him. Except maybe Tony swearing about how he should have dodged the other way to break a tackle.

  
"Take him for x-rays," is all Coach Hill says because Fury turns his attention to his defence.

  
He is kindly escorted across campus to the hospital emergency by a medical attendant. After that it was a whirlwind of paperwork (that thankfully the attendant had brought all his information) and waiting.

  
The waiting was more painful than his shoulder. He wished he brought his phone so that he could see highlights or something. What's the score? Did Natasha finally shut down number 87? Was his backup any good? Cause they sure as hell can't win on all field goals.

  
"Ahem." The Doctor says pulling him out of turmoil.

  
The doc is older, long nose, round glasses and graying hair, "Well it looks like your right shoulder is dislocated."

  
Steve resists an eyeroll.

  
"We'll be giving you some pain medication and then pop it back into place..." is all he really hears because he begins to think about all the games and practice he'll miss...

  
The medical attendant has his gym bag when he gets out meaning the game is over and he is free to go home. He goes home and showers. Then heads over to Thor's for the after party.

  
The party is in full swing when he gets there and he doesn't have to ask if they lost. It's written on everyone of his team mates face except Rumlow his little shit of a back up whose trying to impress the whole cheerleading squad.

  
"STEVEN MY FRIEND!" Thor yells and Steve dodges the customary slap on the back. And tries to indicate to the linebacker it was nothing personal. It's just that he's already injured gesturing to his arm in the sling.

  
Thor laughs loud enough that it brings everyone in the rooms attention.

  
He spends the next hour explaining and re-explaining how he got injured it, how long he would be out of the game and apologising that it wasn't a cast that the girls could sign.

  
He eventually finds Natasha, Bucky, Sam and Clint in a small corner. Steve tries to latch onto the closest drink but Sam snatches it away.

 

"Whoa there didn't they pump you with heavy pain medication isn't dangerous to mix it with booze?" Sam asks.

  
Steve doesn't care and tries to grab at Natasha's drink. She glares.

  
"If I die you know what to do with my stuff." Steve responds trying to swipe a beer.

  
It's Bucky this time that give him this look that is so disapproving that he thinks that it could be his mother's. So he puts the beer down on the floor.

  
"Okay, okay I wont drink...." he says.

Thor's after parties aren't nearly as fun with out some booze in the system. Everyone else seems to be having a grand old time. And considering the way Natasha and Clint are eyeing each other over their drinks he knows what going to happen next.

  
It's either the fatigue from the injury or the pain meds that get to him so he begins to squint, "and why is the world spinning?"

  
"Jesus Christ Rogers go home." Clint says.

  
"Someone has got to take him home and watch him overnight." Natasha states.

  
Everyone around him basically says not it and high tails it out of there, except Bucky who throws his arm over Steve's shoulder and says, "I guess its gonna be you and me buddy."

  
Steve smiles into Bucky's armpit, "Do I get to kiss you?"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Don't ever mix alcohol and pain medication. EVER. Steve was being stupid cause he's pretty high off pain meds.
> 
> Oh here is how coaching goes: Head Coach: Nick Fury, Offensive Coach: Maria Hill, Defensive Coach: Phil Coulson.


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The sleepover.

There are three things that Steve remembers from drug haze after leaving Thor's place:

 

  1. Going back to Bucky's place.
  2. Getting a kiss good night on the cheek.
  3. Waking up in tremendous pain at four in the morning because Bucky decided that his injured shoulder would be the best pillow.



  
Steve tried not to scream, really.

  
"I'm so sorry Steve." Bucky says sitting at the end of the bed after Steve took a mouth full of advil.

  
"It's really okay." Steve responds. To be honest he really wanted to enjoy it.

But you know.

**PAIN.**

  
"I forgot I like to cling in my sleep I should have slept on the floor." Bucky ruffles his bed head angrily.

  
"I like it. The you clinging part. Not the pain." Steve adds.

  
Bucky just looks up at him with this grin. And Steve swears to god that he was going to ask Bucky out then and there. But he yawns and Bucky insists that Steve needs to lay down and go to sleep.

  
"Get some rest. I'll sleep on the floor."

  
"No Bucky here." Steve says pointing to his side. He tries to pout but really that's Bucky's department.

  
And Bucky is surprised to say the least, but he lies down on Steve's left side. And Steve scoots a bit closer and Bucky gets comfortable right next to him.

  
And that's how they stay for the rest of the night.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I felt that this need to be posted before moving on to something else I wanted to write for the story. They're not together as of yet but at least acknowledge each others feelings. Personally I just like making them squirm.


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which Steve kicks butt.

"You know I can't wait for you to come back." Charles says. Steve looks at the team's place kicker like he has grown three heads.

  
I mean this is Charles **FUCKING** Xavier who has enough patience to date Shark Teeth from the rugby club.

  
"You're serious?" Steve asks.

  
Charles nods before placing a ball on a tee, "He's an insufferable little shit."

  
The shit is emphasized by a pretty hard kick to the ball that falls well on target.

  
"He also can't hold worth a damn either." Charles adds. Steve looks looks in the direction of Rumlow who is currently yelling at 'Sticky Hands' Parker and Barton. "It's like he's purposely messing with my stats."

  
Charles sounds like a petulant child but Steve understands.

  
Fury blows the whistle its time to huddle up.

  
-

  
It's not that Steve hasn't been practicing either with one arm strapped to his chest. He's been running, doing one arm push ups and the like.

  
Steve has always been ambidextrous. He'd always played as a lefty in baseball before he came to football. And back in high school he'd thrown with his left arm every once and a while to throw off his opponents.

  
So during practice he'd stand off to the side and toss it lefty style to any person that was willing to catch it. That and he'd just try to work with targets too when others were busy.

  
"How's the shoulder going?" Rumlow says poking at Steve's injured shoulder.

  
"It's healing." Steve offers and takes a step away. Because seriously who the fuck pokes at some ones injury like that?

  
"You know you shouldn't give everyone such a hard time. It breaks the cohesion of the team." Steve states. He's got numerous complaints about his back up.

  
Rumlow looks offended, "Look Rogers I don't give YOU advice when you're in charge of this offence."

  
"Technically Maria Hill is," Steve offers, "It's in her title of Offensive Coordinator. And she talks about team cohesion a lot."

  
"Don't give me sass Rogers."

"I'm not sassing you Rumlow. I'm trying to give you advice."

  
"Advice from my back up. How quaint." Rumlow says with a laugh.

  
Steve is usually a pretty even tempered person but his comment of Steve being _HIS_ backup it struct the right nerve. Standing at full height trying to be as intimidating as possible Steve said: "I would like to kindly remind you YOU ARE MY BACK UP. And when I am healed _YOU_ will be placed back on the bench again."

"What makes you think that?"

  
"Because I win games." Steve says confidently. Rumlow has lost all his games since Steve's injury.

  
"Like how you keep practicing with that left arm of yours you gonna win games?"

  
"I could certainly beat you with it."

  
"Try me."

-

The rules were simple. They each got one pass. The person that could throw the cleanest and farthest pass to Parker who would chase and catch it would win. They drew quiet the crowd.

  
Rumlow threw first. It was clean decent pass. Parker little trouble catching it.

  
Steve stood there one arm strapped to his chest. Taking in a deep breath and threw it.

  
Parker was running a route that Steve knew he loved so all he had to do was get it there, right where his hands would be situated.  
And Parker caught the ball as if it was effortless.

  
Everyone began making noise and Fury had to blow the whistle several times to get people to calm down.

  
"Where'd you learn to throw like that?" Fury asks Steve.

  
"Baseball."

-

A week later Steve was cleared for practice. Fury took this a note that he could play as long as it wasn't with his right arm.

  
So at that game that week he got Steve to suit up.

  
Once Rumlow dug them enough of a hole to piss Fury off he sent Steve in.

  
He heard the whispering and he was pretty sure that the commentators on TV were probably speculating.

  
Naturally the first play was a run. But after the running back was stuffed at the line of scrimmage. Steve decided to take it up a notch.

  
The defensive line said they were ready for another running play. So when Steve saw Barton down the field and threw a left handed long bomb towards him. Naturally everyone was shocked.

  
Barton gained them thirty five yards and Steve got a interview with the commentators from CBS after the game.

  
Something his Mom proudly shows to anyone that comes into her house.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As a person who is right handed I do prefer to play left handed in sports. I thought Steve might be one of those kids too. P.S. I also hate Rumlow....


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which they become a thing.

Steve's in the shower when he see it. It's in the pile of Steve's laundry in the corner of the room. And really something like this shouldn't be so distracting.

  
But it is.

  
Bucky had come over to copy some of Steve's notes from the one class that they actually shared this term, before the usual suspects went out for a beer.

  
It's Steve's jersey that is distracting him.

The blue stands out from everything else.

  
Bucky leans over from where he is sitting and grabs the garment.

  
First of all it smells of sweat. But he doesn't care lifting it to his face to inhale the smell of Steve.

  
He doesn't want to admit it.

  
But he has had a thing for Steve since the moment he had helped him move into those shitty dorms back in first year. He runs the fabric through his hands memorising the stitching that never seems to fall apart, the outline of Rogers printed on the back and the grass stains from being tackled.

  
He's almost 100% sure that Steve is into him as much as he is into Steve. It helps that Sam, Clint and Natasha always seem try and give them opportunities.

  
It's just something is always stand in that way.

  
Not intentionally of course.

  
"Oh man did I leave that out?" Steve says breaking Bucky's concentration.

  
Steve is standing with a towel wrapped around his waist.

  
"Uh... well.. sure...." He's drowning. How is he supposed to function with Steve standing naked five feet from him? "No, no you didn't. I was just fascinated on how much laundry detergent you use to get the stains out."

  
He laughs nervously.

Jesus Christ he's in trouble.

  
"Mom's secret recipe. She's been cleaning my uniforms since middle school," Steve says with a grin. He unnaturally close now Bucky has no idea when he took the steps to be in front of him. All Bucky could just flick a finger and it'd loosen the towel around Steve's waist.

  
He's truly tempted.

  
"Steve can I ask you something?" Bucky asks leaning back on the bed. Steve begins rooting around the room for something to wear.

  
"Yeah?" Steve has a pair of boxers in his hands and Bucky watches as the towel around his waist slips a bit.

  
"Would you like to go out on a date?" he makes sure that he add the word _date_ in there because he does not want this being confused as a friendly outing.

  
Steve turns around to stare at Bucky lying on the bed, attempting his best set of bedroom eyes.

  
He watches Steve's Adam's apple move. It takes second before Steve is on top of him and Bucky grins up at him.

  
"Yes," Steve says before descending his lips on to his.

 

A loud "Woooohooo!" was yelled and they both turn to look at the crowd standing in Steve's bedroom doorway.

  
"Y'all owe me 50 dollars," Sam practically yells in excitement at the others standing with him.

  
"I was off by like a day." Stark whines. Clint and Natasha are giggling at their phones and Steve just shuts the door in their faces.  
Bucky is so glad he asked.

  
Steve is a wonderful kisser.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> For those worried this isn't the end. The story will probably end with Steve being drafted into the NFL. After this the timeline might jump from the present to the past and back again. I'll try to make sure that you know when it is the past.


	7. Chapter 7

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which they meet.

If there is one normal thing that his parents granted him it was allowing him to go to college for wherever and whatever he wanted. After growing up on army bases for all of his life he really would like some consistency.

  
"Don't worry Ma I'll call you again when I get settled."

  
"I just don't know how I'll live with my baby all the way across country." she says weeping.

  
He can hear his sister giggling in the background, "Just be thankful you're in the US. Imagine if dad was stationed over seas."

 

His mother gives another cry.

  
But his sister Rebecca has had enough, "Seriously Ma?"

  
Bucky tries not to roll his eyes at his mother, "I promise once everything is in the room I will call you again?"

  
"Okay James sweetie love you."

  
"Love you Ma. Bye." He hangs up and leans against the boot of trunk and sighs.

  
Be begins unpacking the contents. Holding most of the weight in his right arm using his left arm to hold for balance. It was still healing from the car crash he was in last month. The doctors say that the damaged nerves should regenerate.

Eventually.

  
Its when he trips over the uneven piece of side walk he realises that he will fall and wreck his new bluray player along with his laptop.

  
Someone places a hand on it and rights him up.

  
The man was sweaty, but smiling, "Good thing I caught you might have wrecked your equipment."

  
"Thanks," he says slightly blushing trying to blame it on the sun that is shining on him.

  
"Would you like help? it'd be quicker with two."

  
Bucky nods.

  
"Steve Rogers. I'm going to be in room 408."

  
"James Barnes, but please call me Bucky..." he looks at the paper in his hand, "Room 412."

 

They get to work. Bucky keeps his distance because ever since he came out in in high school he never thought he would find such a beautiful man to pine over.

  
Once they move all of Bucky's things into the shoe box that he will call his room for the next two terms. Seriously he is not staying in this dorm ever again. Shared showers, bathrooms, common room. The only privacy is in his room with paper thin walls.

  
Steve looks him awkwardly misinterpreting his stare, "I probably smell." he says finally.

  
"It's really okay." _I just find you gorgeous that's all._ He keeps that part to himself.

  
"Well see you around?" Steve says.

  
"See yeah." Bucky answers.

  
The moment Steve shuts the door Bucky whips out his cellphone to call Rebecca.

  
He needs someone to gush over tall blonds with.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I always like to have a relatively happy AU. But the idea is that Bucky probably wont gain full strength back in his left arm due to nerve and muscle damage.


	8. Chapter 8

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which Steve can't choose sides. Unless his mom is involved.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry about the delay. I went to a convention/had a vacation in which I had not time to write or even think.
> 
> This is one of two really short chapters I got done on the airplane.

Sam likes to play the game 'if you get drafted' every couple months. The basic idea is that they state their hopes on who drafts them in the NFL when their time comes based on team statistics.

  
Steve's never been a fan of the game mostly because the odds are pretty much against you on actually staying in the NFL more that 2 seasons.

  
He's stated it to Sam several times and Sam usually calls him a stick in the mud.

  
"Rogers what about you? And I swear if you choose the Jets or the Giants again because of you'd be near your Mom I will hit you."

  
Steve weighs his options. Before finally saying, "I guess Buffalo. I could maybe do a Jim Kelly thing. Plus I'd be in the same state as Mom."

  
Sam seems to like his idea.

  
"You realise Steve the Philadelphia Eagles would be closer to Brooklyn." Natasha offers over her beer.

  
"Then the Eagles!" Steve says smiling.

  
Sam groans in annoyance, "Okay but seriously pick something over the 100 mile radius of your mother. Also your Buffalo vote is now void."

  
Teammates laugh around him and Steve sighs now that he has to take this dumb game seriously.

  
"Give me a minute." Steve asks, "I need to actually think about other teams stats."

  
Sam then moves on. The round never comes back to Steve. In which Steve is thankful for because he could never just choose one team.

  
The only team he wants to be on right now is this one.


	9. Chapter 9

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which we all wonder why Tony even plays football.

"We're going to run a fake reverse play for the next one. Barton you want it?" Steve says after getting orders from the sideline. Barton nods excitedly.

  
"What the heck is that?" Tony pipes up.

  
Sam elbows him in the ribs just under the pads, "Have you ever read a manual on football plays?"

  
Tony shrugs and shakes his head no.

  
Sam gives an exasperated noise before saying, "Jesus Christ how did you even make it on the team in the first place?"

  
"Money? Talent? Good looks? To get women?" Tony supplies.

  
Sam rolls his eyes and Steve just glares at him, "For that I'm going to make you catch it."

  
"Why me? I'm a running back I have absolutely no catching ability." Barton punches him and Steve calls for the huddle to break.

  
As they head out to there positions Tony hears Steve saying, "You catch lateral passes all the time this one should be no different."

  
And it wasn't.


End file.
